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Friday, July 23, 2010

Get Classy, Dannel!

I tuned in to WNPR this morning to hear Ned Lamont talk about the issues facing Connecticut. Yet, John Danosky spent the first 10 minutes of the program asking Ned about whether he would or would not debate Dan Malloy. Once the phones were open to actual citizens, not one asked about debates. The questions came from small business owners and state workers and retirees. People wanted to hear Ned's thoughts on the state workforce, mandatory sick time, the cost of running a small business, LBGT issues, leadership and management, and green energy programs. I am sure there would be similar questions for Malloy, Foley, Griebel and Fedele. Not one person asked why he wasn't scheduling certain debates. Not one person asked how much he was worth or how he was spending his own money, apart from a thoughtful discussion on the CT Citizens Election Program.

As one who has live blogged the "debates" on TV, I can tell you these shows are not debates. They are parallel sound bites memorized for TV. The candidates don't engage one another, there are no follow-up questions, and it is impossible to address the challenges facing Connecticut in a 60-second answer (well rehearsed and sound-bited ahead of time). I, for one, have enjoyed listening in on Ned's telephone town halls, during which people ask questions Ned can answer in more than 60 or 90 seconds, with follow-ups! Every now and then, an actual dialog occurs! I would like to listen to a similar forum from Dan Malloy. Voters can learn much more here than from these so-called media "debates."

Dan -- if you want to spend your breath and your campaign funds whining about whether Ned will debate you or whether he is putting some of his own money into his campaign, well, that's up to you. (And, yes, it sounds like whining now!) I, for one, would rather see you get classy and talk about how you will attempt to solve Connecticut's greatest problems and how you will meet our state's greatest challenges. All the time spent on the process of the election puts the focus on Dan Malloy's future as a politician and takes away from what voters really care about -- Connecticut's future.

8 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Ya know,

The nasty attacks on John Dankosky on a number of liberal blogs is, well, embarrassing for CT progressives. WNPR doesn't have it "in" for Lamont. The NYT didn't have it "in" for Blumenthal. This is media doing what media does. To hyper-over-react when your guy doesn't come of so well speaks to immaturity and insecurity, nothing more. Grow up, people.

In spite of John Dankosky setting the stage for an hour long call-in show about debates, the callers decided to ask about the things that matter to them. None of them thought debates merited discussion. It's in Dankosky's interest to try to change Ned Lamont's mind, because he is going to look like an ass moderating a one-person "debate." Pointing this out is not a "nasty attack" but rather a fair criticism.

I don't think that WWL has it in for Lamont, but I do think that their upcoming "debate" featuring only Dan Malloy is essentially an in-kind contribution of statewide media to the Malloy campaign.

The only debates that seem to matter to the media (and certainly to the Malloy campaign) are the ones that Ned opts not to participate in. That's telling.

I did not intend a "nasty attack" on Danosky -- just pointing out that he spent time on process, not progress -- that, in these fora, I believe, does a disservice to the listener. I wouldn't want him wasting time with Malloy on a debate discussion either -- I want to hear Malloy's *solutions* -- that's the point here.

I think that spazeboy hit the nail on the head when he pointed out that Dankosky' desperation seems to stem from the fact that he's painted himself into a corner, announcing a "debate" that won't be a debate. He's going to look like an ass if he can't get Ned to show up.

But that's Dankosky's screw-up. And he should answer for it to CPB's management.

"John Dankosky is at it again. He invited Ned Lamont on his program "Where We Live" this morning, but instead of using the time for a real interview, Dankosky used the first ten minutes of his fifty minute program to browbeat Ned for not agreeing to come on Dankosky's unilaterally scheduled "debate" next week."

NOT nasty?

From the first comment on that post:

"I really hate it when people who are absolute failures at their jobs as members of the Media slime bloggers by becoming one."

NPR asked Lamont to debate. Lamont's excuses are very lame. It would be better if Ned was honest and said he didn't want to give Malloy the exposure.In truth, Malloy really knows what he is talking about. Ned's greatest ability is giving sound bites.